Bartell Drugs
Encyclopedia
Bartell Drugs is a chain of pharmacies in the Puget Sound
area of the U.S. state
of Washington. Currently, they primarily serve the Seattle and King County
area but have been slowly expanding into Snohomish and Pierce
Counties to the North and South, respectively. George D. Bartell, grandson of the founder, serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Jean (Bartell) Barber, the founder’s granddaughter, is the Chief Financial Officer of the company.
Lured by the stories of opportunities in the West, Bartell left Kansas in 1887 on a Milwaukee Road train heading toward the little-known Washington Territory
. One month later, not yet 19, he arrived in Seattle with $15 in his pocket.
Over the next few years Bartell supported himself with various jobs—including one as a real estate broker—occasionally filling in as a pharmacist. He started Bartell Drug Co. in 1890 when he purchased The Lake Washington Pharmacy at 2711 Jackson St. in Seattle from its disenchanted owners, after only working there two weeks. Bartell took up residence in the back of the store, where he began working seven days a week filling prescriptions at all hours.
Bartell worked hard to make his business a success, and by 1897, his business was doing reasonably well. However, the arrival of the steamer Portland at the Seattle waterfront, with what was described as a "ton of gold" from the Yukon Territory, sparked the Alaska Gold Rush and soon inspired a gold fever in the young pharmacist that was too hard for him to resist. After turning his pharmacy over to his assistant, Bartell was on a steamer headed toward the Yukon. He returned to Seattle a year later with enough gold to pay for most of his trip expenses, and to fund a vision of Bartell Drugs' future.
Bartell embarked on an ambitious plan to open several drugstores in the downtown Seattle area. His goal was to open stores with his fundamental policies "that stores be conveniently located, amply stocked, clean and attractive." With those policies in mind, he opened a second drugstore—Bartell's Owl Drug Store at 506 Second Ave. in 1898. The store was named for the long hours Bartell kept while filling prescriptions.
Bartell Drug formally incorporated in 1904. Over the next 35 years, Bartell would open 18 stores at convenient locations throughout Seattle; stores that became some of the first in the West to offer in-store soda fountains as well as film developing. The company grew to operate its own photo lab, candy factory, and commissary for soups and the like, sold at the store's lunch counters.
In March 1956, after a brief illness, George H. Bartell Sr. died at age 87, ending a 66-year career with his company. He was inducted into the Puget Sound Business Hall of Fame in 1997. Bartell was recognized for his innovation, persistence and vision. He is considered a model for business leaders of today and a business role model for today's young people.
George H. Bartell Jr., who had started as a warehouseman, was elected president of the company in 1939. Several stores opened after World War II
, and in 1950 Bartell Drug became the first drugstore to open in a regional shopping center, the Northgate Mall
. The next several years were a period of restructuring for the company, where operations were streamlined and some stores were closed. The first store opened outside of Seattle was opened in Bellevue, Washington in 1962 across from Bellevue Square
.
After 51 years, George Bartell Jr. stepped down in 1990, and his son George D. Bartell was elected president of the company. Jean (Bartell) Barber, the founder's granddaughter, is chief financial officer.
Today Bartell Drugs operates 58 locations throughout the Puget Sound
, the latest one having been opened in September 2010 in the Factoria neighborhood of Bellevue
.
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
area of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. Currently, they primarily serve the Seattle and King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
area but have been slowly expanding into Snohomish and Pierce
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
Counties to the North and South, respectively. George D. Bartell, grandson of the founder, serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Jean (Bartell) Barber, the founder’s granddaughter, is the Chief Financial Officer of the company.
History
George H. Bartell was born in 1869. At age 14 he left his family's farm and moved to Lincoln, Kansas, where he spent the next four years apprenticing in pharmacy at a local drug store. By age 18 he was considered a full-fledged pharmacist.Lured by the stories of opportunities in the West, Bartell left Kansas in 1887 on a Milwaukee Road train heading toward the little-known Washington Territory
Washington Territory
The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 8, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington....
. One month later, not yet 19, he arrived in Seattle with $15 in his pocket.
Over the next few years Bartell supported himself with various jobs—including one as a real estate broker—occasionally filling in as a pharmacist. He started Bartell Drug Co. in 1890 when he purchased The Lake Washington Pharmacy at 2711 Jackson St. in Seattle from its disenchanted owners, after only working there two weeks. Bartell took up residence in the back of the store, where he began working seven days a week filling prescriptions at all hours.
Bartell worked hard to make his business a success, and by 1897, his business was doing reasonably well. However, the arrival of the steamer Portland at the Seattle waterfront, with what was described as a "ton of gold" from the Yukon Territory, sparked the Alaska Gold Rush and soon inspired a gold fever in the young pharmacist that was too hard for him to resist. After turning his pharmacy over to his assistant, Bartell was on a steamer headed toward the Yukon. He returned to Seattle a year later with enough gold to pay for most of his trip expenses, and to fund a vision of Bartell Drugs' future.
Bartell embarked on an ambitious plan to open several drugstores in the downtown Seattle area. His goal was to open stores with his fundamental policies "that stores be conveniently located, amply stocked, clean and attractive." With those policies in mind, he opened a second drugstore—Bartell's Owl Drug Store at 506 Second Ave. in 1898. The store was named for the long hours Bartell kept while filling prescriptions.
Bartell Drug formally incorporated in 1904. Over the next 35 years, Bartell would open 18 stores at convenient locations throughout Seattle; stores that became some of the first in the West to offer in-store soda fountains as well as film developing. The company grew to operate its own photo lab, candy factory, and commissary for soups and the like, sold at the store's lunch counters.
In March 1956, after a brief illness, George H. Bartell Sr. died at age 87, ending a 66-year career with his company. He was inducted into the Puget Sound Business Hall of Fame in 1997. Bartell was recognized for his innovation, persistence and vision. He is considered a model for business leaders of today and a business role model for today's young people.
George H. Bartell Jr., who had started as a warehouseman, was elected president of the company in 1939. Several stores opened after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and in 1950 Bartell Drug became the first drugstore to open in a regional shopping center, the Northgate Mall
Northgate Mall
Northgate Mall may refer to:*Northgate Mall in Durham, North Carolina*Northgate Mall in Hixson, Tennessee*Northgate Mall in Seattle, Washington*Northgate Mall in Cincinnati, Ohio...
. The next several years were a period of restructuring for the company, where operations were streamlined and some stores were closed. The first store opened outside of Seattle was opened in Bellevue, Washington in 1962 across from Bellevue Square
Bellevue Square
Bellevue Square is a shopping center in Bellevue, eight miles east of Seattle. The mall has 180 retail stores, including anchors JCPenney, Macy's, and Nordstrom, specialty stores like LEGO, Tiffany and Co. the Apple Store, Armani Exchange and Williams-Sonoma, Lacoste, and restaurants like P.F....
.
After 51 years, George Bartell Jr. stepped down in 1990, and his son George D. Bartell was elected president of the company. Jean (Bartell) Barber, the founder's granddaughter, is chief financial officer.
Today Bartell Drugs operates 58 locations throughout the Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
, the latest one having been opened in September 2010 in the Factoria neighborhood of Bellevue
Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city in the Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Long known as a suburb or satellite city of Seattle, it is now categorized as an edge city or a boomburb. The population was 122,363 at the 2010 census.Downtown Bellevue is...
.
External links
- Bartell Drugs Official site
- Metropolis 7 - Bartell Drugs Advertising agency discusses the advertisements that it created for Bartell Drugs